OCT. 7: CPS acknowledges to the City Council it may be unable to pay for expansion - plus other planned capital projects - and hold bill increases to 5 percent every other year as promised.

OCT. 13: At 7:45 a.m., Bob Coward of STP operating company e-mails CPS and NINA: "news is not good. Toshiba/Fluor estimate delivered today will be $12.04 billion ... My inclination is that we should not broadcast this information. ... "

At 2 p.m., CPS board votes to sell another 15 percent of utility's stake in expansion and keep 20 to 25 percent. It also approves borrowing $400 million more to continue nuclear plan.

OCT. 22: NINA asks if CPS board is aware of current estimate, says it will present it at NRG analysts' meeting in November. CPS executive replies: "no intention" of giving board the new estimate until January, calls disclosure "a major problem."

DEC. 7: CPS board releases internal investigation of how high cost estimate was kept from the board. CPS sues NGR/NINA to clarify its rights if it withdraws from nuclear deal.

DEC. 23: NINA alleges CPS is in breach of contract and should lose the hundreds of millions it has invested if it doesn't agree to keep funding the deal. CPS shoots back with new allegations against NINA, NRG and Toshiba and asks for $32 billion in damages.